Apparatus for cleaning cow&#39;s udder



Sept. 20, 1960 J. c. GEORGE APPARATUS FOR CLEANING cow's UDDER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Oct. 14, 1957 INVENTOR. James OGeorgz.

ATTORNEYS Sept. 20, 1960 J. C. GEORGE APPARATUS FOR CLEANING cow's UDDER Filed Oct. 14, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. James C. George.

ATTORNEYS APPARATUS FOR CLEANING 'COWS UDDER James C. George, Lancaster, Ohio, assignor of twentyfive percent to Palmer Fultz and twenty-five percent to Warren H. F. Schmieding, both of Columbus, Ohio Filed Oct. 14, 1957, Ser. No. 690,131

4 Claims. (Cl. 15-29) This invention relates to rotary brush apparatus and particularly to a novel apparatus for cleaning a cows udder prior to milking.

In general, the apparatus of the present invention includes a brush head which rotatably supports a brush element. A handle for manipulating the brush is secured to the brush head with the axis of said handle being disposed at an acute angle relative to the axis of rotation of the brush. Hence the person manipulating the brush can, from a standing position, extend the brush head downwardly to a position below the cows udder, and then move the brush head upwardly whereby the brush face contacts the bottom of the udder and scrubs same clean in preparation for milking. The apparatus of the present invention further includes other features later to be described in detail herein.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for rapidly and conveniently washing a cows udder in preparation for milking.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an apparatus of the type described which continuously supplies washing fluid to a rotary brush head yet which confines the washing fluid to the area being washed and thereby eliminates splashing.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide -an apparatus of the type described which incorporates a rotary brush provided with a recessed central portion adapted to efficiently scrub not only the under side of the udder, but also each individual teat as well.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein preferred forms of embodiments of the invention are clearly shown.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of an udder cleaning apparatus constructed according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is a side sectional view of a brush head comprising a portion of the apparatus of Figure 1, the section being taken along a vertical plane through the centerline of the brush head of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a partial side view of the apparatus of Figure 1, said view illustrating the application of a hand drill as a prime mover for driving said apparatus; and

Figure 4 is a side view, partially in section, of a second brush head constructed according to the present invention and comprising a second aspect thereof, said section being taken along a vertical plane through the centerline of said brush head.

Referring in detail to the drawing, the apparatus of Figure 1 includes a brush head indicated generally at 20 which is mounted to a handle means indicated generally at 22. As seen in Figure 2, brush head 20 includes a brush 24 consisting of bristles 25 secured to a bristle holder 26. As seen in Figures 1 and 2, brush 24 includes an axis of rotation R that forms an acute angle A with nitecl States Patent 01 ice a longitudinal axis L of the previously mentioned handle means 22.

As one means of providing the above described acute angular configuration A the handle means 22 is formed from a tubular member including a straight downwardly extending portion 30, an arcuate portion 31, and a straight upwardly extending portion 32. The upper end of straight handle means 30 includes a lower horizontally extending grip 35 and an upper grip 36 which includes an outwardly extending base 37, and a downwardly extending portion 38. Hence it will be understood that the brush can be effectively manipulated by holding grip 35 in one hand and grip 36 in the other hand whereby movement of one of the grips relative to the other will rock the brush 24 upwardly whereby the bristles 25 engage and scrub the under side of the udder.

With particular reference to Figure 2 a flexible drive cable 41 is rotatably extended through tubular handle member 22 and a driving gear 43 is keyed to the lower end of drive cable 41. A driven gear 44 is rotatably mounted in brush head 20 and in engagement with driving gear 43. A hollow drive shaft 46 has its lower end keyed to driven gear 44 and its upper end keyed to bristle holder 26. Hence it will be understood that flexible drive shaft 41 rotates driving gear 43 which in turn rotates driven gear 44 and hollow drive shaft and bristle holder keyed thereto. A bearing member 48 is mounted to brush head 20 and includes an upper surface forming a thrust bearing in engagement with the lower surface of bristle holder 26. A detachable threaded coupling 50 is secured to brush head 20 such that tubular handle member 22 can be detached from the brush head at the threaded junction 52 to provide access to drive cable 41.

Referring again to Figures 1 and 2, a washing fluid supply conduit 55 is secured to handle member 22 by means of a plurality of clamps 56 with said conduit including an intake end 57, connected to a source of washing fluid, not illustrated, a flow control valve 58, which serves to control and shut oif the rate of flow of the fluid, and a discharge end 60 located centrally of bristles 25 of brush 24. It will be noted from Figure 2 that conduit 55 extends through a hole 56 in the bottom of brush head 20 and thence extends upwardly through hollow drive shaft 46 and bristle holder 26. Hence it will be understood that driven gear 44, drive shaft 46, and bristle holder 26 are free to rotate about the stationary fluid supply conduit 55.

As is best seen in Figure 2, brush head 20 includes an open ended metallic casing or guard 62 provided with a flexible lip 63 formed of synthetic rubber or the like. It is preferable to extend the upper edge 64 of flexible member 63 upwardly just beyond the upper ends of bristles 25. Hence when bristles 25 are moved upwardly against the under side of the udder the flexible lip 63 will engage the surface of the udder and form a splashguard whereby water thrown outwardly by centrifugal action of the brush will be retained within the brush head and the operator will be protected from splashing.

With fln'ther reference to Figure 2, the lower portion of casing 62 includes a drain hole 66 for continuously draining the washing fluid such that the casing does not become excessively full of water. Hence drain hole 66 serves as an additional means of preventing the brush from throwing Water beyond the confines of the casing.

Referring next to Figure 3, a novel means for driving the apparatus is provided by a conventional electric hand drill 70 removably mounted to a bracket 71 which is in turn welded to handle member 22 at a welded junction 72. Electric drill 70 is secured to bracket 71 by means of a detachable clamp 74, with such drill including wire leads 75 for connection with a source of electric current and a trigger switch 76 for turning the current on and off. Torque is applied to flexible drive shaft 41 by inserting an end thereof into a chuck portion 77of electric drill70. j f

Reference is next made to Figure 4 which illustrates another aspect of the present invention. The apparatus of Figure 4 is identical to that of Figures 1 through 3, previously described, except that the brush 24-A of Figure 4, is modified in that'a bristle holder 26-A is formed with an upwardly extending portion 78 and an outwardly extending portion 79 to provide a cup shaped mount for upwardly facing bristles 25 and inwardly facing bristles 25-A. With this arrangement it will be understood that the particular bristle configuration provides a centrally disposed recess 80 in the rotary brush such that when the brush head is 'moved upwardly it can be successively positioned ;over each of the cows teats whereby the teat will extend downwardly into therecess 80 and the sides of the teat will be thoroughly scrubbed by the inwardly facing'bristles 25-A.

While the forms of embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed constitute preferred forms, it 7 is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

I clairn: v

1. An apparatus for washing a cows udder comprising, in combination, a'guard; a brush rotatably mounted in said guard about an axis of rotation, said brush including a recessed central portion and provided with axially extending bristles for rotational engagement with the under side of the cows udder and radially inwardly extending bristles for engagement with the sides of the cows teats, said guard including a housing having an open end adjacent an upper portion of said brush, said hous ng including a drain opening; handle means mounted to said guard; means for supplying cleansing fluid to said brush; and driving means for rotating said brush.

2. An apparatus for Washing a cows udder comprising, in combination, a guard; a brush rotatably mounted in said guard about an axis of rotation and provided with axially extending bristles for rotational engagement with the under side of the cows udder and radially inwardly extending bristles for engagement with the sides of the cows teats, said guard including a housing having an open end adjacent an upper portion of said brush, said housing including a drain opening; handle means mounted to said guard; conduit means mounted to said handle means and including an outlet communicating with said brush; and driving means for rotating said brush.

3. An apparatus for washing ,a cows udder comprising, in combination, a guard; a brush rotatably mounted in said guard about'anaxis of rotation and provided with axially extending bristles for rotational engagement with the under side of the cows udder-and radially inwardly extending bristles for engagement with the sides of the cows teats, said guard including a housing having an open end adjacent (an upper portion of said brush, said housing including a drain opening; handle means mounted to said guard; means for supplying cleansing fluid to said brush; and driving means for rotating said brush, said driving means including a flexible shaft carried by said handle means.

4. In a brush for cleaning a cows udder the combination of a rotary brush provided with axially extending bristles for rotational engagement with the under side of the cows udder and radially inwardly extending bristles for engagement with the sides of the cows teats; means for rotating said brush; handle means for manipulating said brush; an open ended housing for said brush, the open end of said housing being adjacent an upper portion of said brush, said housing including a drain opening; means for supplying washing fluid to the interior of said housing; and a flexible lip on the open end of said housing.

References Cited in'the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 994,204 Schoenlau June 6, 1911 1,507,349 Franz Sept.v 2, 1924 2,188,449 Stewart Ian. 30, 1940 2,731,300 Jansen Jan. 17, 1956 2,753,579 Kussmann July 10, 1956 2,817,867 Bugbird Dec. 31, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 415,620 Great Britain Aug. 30, 1934 1,040,851 France May 27, 1953 

